By Manal Rashid
In the world of music, Taylor Swift has continued her reign. Swift made waves with the release of her 10th studio album, “Midnights,” breaking records and earning multiple accolades at the 2023 VMAs. As she continues her world tour and her re-recordings of her old albums, Swift has shown her undeniable grip on the music industry.
On October 21, 2022, Taylor Swift released her highly anticipated 10th studio album, "Midnights." Upon release, Swift broke the record for streaming, physical and vinyl album sales, making it the fastest-selling album of her career. However, that wasn't going to be the last record Swift broke. At the 2023 VMAs, Taylor Swift took home nine awards, including Artist of the Year and Song of the Year, securing the spot for the most wins in one night and second-most overall wins.
"I think it's both iconic and expected,” senior Annmarie Kurien said. “I mean, it's Taylor. She's insanely talented and dedicated, and no one deserved to break the record more than she did."
Source by Izzy Chu
Taylor Swift broke records at the most recent VMAs, taking home nine awards that night.
The release of "Midnights" didn't stop Swift from working on various other projects, as she would go on to perform for the Eras Tour while releasing "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)" and announcing the re-record for "1989."
For those unfamiliar with Swift's discography, the idea of something being "Taylor's Version" might seem foreign, but this simply means that she owns the rights to her own songs. Before signing to her current label, Republic Records, Swift was signed to Big Machine Record, under which she released six albums. Swift's deal with Big Machine Record gave them ownership of her masters, and in 2019, Swift's catalog was sold to Scooter Braun, whom she doesn't have an amicable relationship with. So, Taylor decided to "Begin Again" in 2020, rerecording her original six albums under Republic Record, and calling them "Taylor's Version."
Of all of Taylor's re-recordings, "1989" received the most buzz, as this album marked her transition from a country artist to a pop star.
"I was honestly so excited. '1989' is my favorite album of hers, and I'm so happy that the Swiftie community is getting yet another ‘Taylor's Version’ album to the collection,” senior Mia Cho said. “I remember waking up and seeing the news, screaming, and then ranting about how excited I was to my mom. Hearing the news that it would soon be ‘Taylor's Version’ album had me anticipating what new songs would be on it. You will catch me staying awake at night waiting for the moment it comes out!"
The fifth studio album by Swift consists of various pop songs, many of which are well-known by the public and very dear to her devoted fans, including "Blank Space," "Style," "Shake it Off" and "Bad Blood.”
"I'm most excited for ‘Style’ because it's a song I listened to growing up with my sister, so I have a lot of good memories associated with it,” junior Destiny Gillespie said. “'1989' is my favorite era because there are many songs on the album that I resonate with, so I'm very excited to hear the re-recording."
Taylor Swift has captured her audience, and with her continuous new projects, she won’t be letting go of them anytime soon.